Animals and vehicles are often located in the same areas which may result in a vehicle hitting an animal, such as a pet. Typically, the driver of a vehicle is not aware of animals in the proximity of the vehicle and may accidentally hit the animal, which may injure the animal and/or damage the vehicle. For example, if a dog (or other animal) runs out in front of a vehicle, the driver of the vehicle who is unaware of the dog in the proximity of the vehicle may not have enough time to stop or steer the vehicle to avoid hitting the dog. Additionally, animals may leave their home such that the owner of the animal must search for the missing animal. Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method that notifies vehicle drivers when animals are located near the vehicle and helps animal owners locate animals that have left the owner's home.